The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-11-12
SOME POPULAR DELUsIoNs.

Strange as it may seem, delusions
abound in every country. The Book Of
Days tells us that there is popular be-
lief throughout England that only three
farthings were struck in all Queen Anne's
reign. Two of these farthihgs are sup.
posed TO be in the hands of the Britis,
government, but the third is still in cir.
culation, and of fabulous value to the
lucky man who secures it. Now the truth
is that there were no less than eight diff
ferent coinings of the Queen Anne's
farthing, and so far from being rare, it is
worth absolutely nothing to the collector;
but this fact, although published again
and again, is powerless to destroy its rep
utation. Now and then poor country
man finds one in his possession, and
believes his fortune made, until he is
rudely undecsived when he tries TO sell
his treasure. Once Yorkshire laborer
walked all the way to London, with his
wife tramping YEARLY by his side, solely
in order to secure the highest possible
bidder for the mysterious farthing which
was to buy him farm of his own. Once
ter's till, and unable TO resist the tempta-
ton, he stole it, leaving another in its
place. For weeks the foolish lad went
about dreaming of his good fortune, until
his desire for riches overcame his pru
dence, and he rashly offered the prize for
sale. Explanations followed, and his
master, learning OF the transact ton, at
once had the boy arrested. Now, al
though his intentions were dishonest, the
latter had really stolen nothing, for the
farthing he put in the till was quite as
good as the farthing he took out; but alasl
the fame of the Queen Anne coin proved
his undoing. The jury could not be
brought to look upon it as common bit
of money, worth only its face value, and
the unfortunate apprentice was actually
found guilty of robbery, and sentenced
to twelve months imprisonment, being
thus punished not for the wrong he did,
but the wrong he meant to do.
In all these cases the lucky farthing
seems to have brought nothing but dis
appointment and misery; but there was
at least one man who knew how to turn
it to good account. A tavern-keeper in
the North of England found one of these
little coins in his money drawer, and i'm
mediately put it in his window as an
attraction for customers. 1t did attract
a great many, and among them came a
neighboring doctor, who CHANGED tc know
something Of the matter, and at once
took it upon himself to enlighten mine
host as to the real value of his possession.
The landlord listened stolidly, thanked
his learned friend for SO much informa-
ton, looked at the piece of money in his
window and at the curious crowd out
side, and concluded very sensibly to leave
the farShing where it was.
1t is said that this singular notion has
its origin in the fact that an English lady
once lost Queen Anne farthing which
was a keepsake, and offered large
reward for it's recovery; but it does not
seem probable chat such an insignificant
circumstance, which might have happen
ed, and very likely has happened to a
great many coine, could we'll give rise to
so widespread and obstinate delusion.
1t is, in fact, just as hard to account for
the farthing's unmerited fame as to &C.
count for the evil distinction of bats,
which were never really known to get
into anybody's hair, or of toads, which
cannot possibly give us warts, or of black
cats, which may be quite as sweet tenn
pered and guileless as their tabby sisters.
Swans will not sing before they die,
and spiders will not cure earache. Whale
bone is not bone at all, and Jerusalem
artichokes never saw Jerusalem Cleo
patra's Needles were not built by Cleopa-
ira, and Pompey's Pillar has nothing to
do with Pcmpey. The Bank OF England
holds no colossal fortunes In trust for
undiscovered heirs In America. Alfred
the Great did not found Oxford Univers-
ity, and Bishop Hatto never prosecuted
the poor, in fact, this much calumniated
character is said to have been very ex-
cellent and kind-hearted old gentle
man, and the rats that swan the Rhine
and scaled his castle walls, are like the
false facts that overrun every page OF his
tory and every nook and Granny Of our
daily lives.-Harper's Young People.